1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to the field of drilling of wells for producing oil and/or gas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Oil and/or gas wells which are drilled for the production of oil and gas are typically begun by driving, or otherwise disposing or installing, a conductor pipe, or drive pipe, at the desired location where a borehole for the well is to be drilled. Typically, the conductor pipe is a large diameter conductor pipe, such as a 20 inch diameter conductor pipe.
Oil and/or gas wells typically include one or more pipe strings extending downwardly through the borehole into the Earth from its surface. The strings are disposed one within the other and serve various purposes, such as maintaining the structural integrity of the well and for controlling fluid flow and fluid pressures within the well. A pipe string, or “string” is typically referred to as a casing if there is at least one other string disposed within that string, and the inner-most string is typically referred to as tubing. A wellhead system is provided for suspending the various strings of casing within the borehole. Initial drilling operations are generally conducted through a large diameter diverter assembly, as is known in the art, and the large diameter diverter assembly has the same diameter as the large diameter conductor, or drive, pipe.